This man is not just special because of where he fought; he is special because of why he fought. The American veteran is not just special but also extremely unique. They are the first in the history of the world to do something that until 1775, the rest of the world could have only dreamed of. Throughout world history, armies have come and gone and it doesn’t matter if they were rebelling slaves in ancient Rome or the feared elite Spartan warriors from ancient Sparta- none of them hold a candle anywhere near the American veteran. What sets the American veteran apart has nothing to do with the uniform they wore, the gear they packed or the ammunition they used. It has everything to do why they fought. | "This Marine veteran fought his way to the top of Mt. Suribachi and was one of the few who had a first hand account of the flag raising on Iwo Jima.....Believe me, I would have much rather had the honor of listening to him that night." |
Sometimes I think it can be easy to assume that veterans are just those guys who wear patches or hats with pins and ribbons on them. It is easy to think of young people when we are putting a care package together for the troops serving overseas during the holidays but in just a couple of years, many of those 22 year old soldiers, sailors, airman and Marines are going to be 24 year old veterans. We have brave Americans all around us today; we cross paths with them daily and many times we only recognize them if they are older gentleman wearing a hat full of pins and ribbons swapping war stories at Cracker Barrel. Most of them are much harder to recognize. He might be the young guy with shaggy hair and an earing that just handed you your fries at in the drive through at McDonalds but two years ago he was a technician on a ship in the South China Sea. He is the recent college graduate who worked his way through school in spite of two tours of duty overseas. She might be the voice at the other end of a courtesy call from the online service you used to arrange your family vacation but three years ago she was a 21 year old medic working with wounded troops in Germany. He is the highly successful businessman who is always in hurry and the homeless man with nothing to brag about but his Ranger tattoo. He might be a state representative who wishes he could see his friends again and would give anything to go on just one more field op with his old platoon even if it meant a month in the dirt. They are everywhere. They are in our hospitals and veterans homes where once again they rely on each other to keep company. Our vets are everywhere and no matter what their circumstances are today, they deserve our gratitude.
Please take every opportunity you can to thank veterans for their service. There will come a time in the not too distant future when we will not be able to thank them anymore. That Marine who fought his way up Mt. Suribachi and witnessed the flag raising will not be with us forever, in fact, it won’t be long now until no one will ever be able to thank him again. They are all special and they are all unique. When we consider the blessings that God has poured out on our nation, we would be missing the most spectacular blessing of all to not realize that someone would be willing to lay down their life for our freedom. The only word I can honestly think of to describe someone like this is amazing, God bless them all.